As the piano technician, Dave Conte is responsible for keeping the roughly 125 pianos maintained and at the ready for use; whether needed for performance in the auditoriums, in teaching studios or practice rooms.

Dave completed his technical training at The University of North Texas College of Music, where he received his degree in Piano Technology. Prior to his arrival at UT School of Music, Dave owned and operated a respected private tuning, service and rebuilding concern where he was in practice for over 28 years. He has studied with Steinway and Sons, with Yamaha where he completed their training as an independent and graduated at the top of the class, participating in the final, prestigious “Little Red Schoolhouse” class. At Baldwin Piano, he received their coveted Concert and Artist Certification and maintained the artist pool pianos for the south-central region. He was also a Petrof Piano dealer and concert technician, and trained with Bosendorfer, Seiler, C. Bechstein, Kawai and other manufacturers, and was on call at various performance venues including The Dallas Opera, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Van Cliburn Piano Competition, Fort Worth Opera and for various artists, including among others: Vladimir Viardo, Michael Feinstein, Bruce Hornsby, Dongni Xie, Neil Diamond, Dino Kartsonakis, Dan Fogelberg, John Tesh and B.B. King.

Dave believes in using his considerable talents by also passing along what was so generously given him. To that end he worked to pass all the tests and exams to become a Registered Piano Technician with The Piano Technicians Guild so that he could also become an instructor, and has become PTG certified as a tuning and technical examiner for the Registered Piano Technician exams. Continuing his passion for teaching, Dave became an Instructor in Piano Technology at Tarrant County College which required developing the curriculum for the class he taught there. He also founded the North Texas School of Piano Technology which was operating as one of the last “brick-and-mortar” hands-on academies left in the USA until his departure to serve at UT.

Taking pride in calling Knoxville their new home are his wife, Sherllyn, daughter Allegra and son Benjamin.